The Life of an Artisan
by kagpes
Summary: AU. She was a geisha, he was her dresser. What more is there to explain?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I was inspired to write this story after I recently watched Memoirs of a Geisha and read Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki. Honestly, I have ideas for this fiction, but I don't have a timeline on when to complete it. I hope I don't get writer's block with this plot, because there is so much more to this story I want to share. I hope I gain inspiration to keep writing from you, my readers. Thank you for taking the time to read & I hope you enjoy my second fiction!

**Chapter 1**

I opened my eyes to a dark room, slowly blinking into consciousness. Again, I had awoken to the dream that had been haunting me since childhood. It wasn't a nightmare, though. It was the complete opposite.

It was a happy dream, a dream almost of pure fantasy, without any possibility of being reality. It was such a happy dream, that it brought back the pain of loss when I realized I was only dreaming. I had to work extra hard to will myself back to sleep, to feel that unconscious contentment again. Unfortunately, the insomnia I had been suffering from for the past few months kicked back in, so I sat up and yawned, accepting that I would only be blessed with 3 hours of sleep that night.

As quietly as I could, I stood and walked toward the exit, slowly peeling back the wooden door. I was careful to not wake my Onee-san sleeping in the futon on the opposite side of the room. My feet were bare, something that Okaa-san would have greatly scolded me for if she knew. But I didn't care – It wasn't like anyone was watching me.

I walked along the hallway. Soft hums of the maids and servants snores could be heard through the screen doors as I reached my destination. In the middle of the hallway, I lifted my arms and pulled down the string hanging from the ceiling. What fell before me was a set of stairs that led to the roof of the Okiya. In silence, I began my ascent.

The stars were visible through the small opening in the ceiling as I ascended up each step. And with each step, I felt calmer, more tranquil, as the light from the stars and the moon illuminated the area surrounding me, the beautiful city of Kyoto. As far as my eyes could see in the night, rows and rows of houses outlined its streets. Fantastic temples stood at the busiest places in the city, displaying their ornate architecture. This was my home since Okaa-san had taken me in.

I thought about my life. I thought about what I had been through and what I will go through. I thought about Onii-chan. He was the only one I had left. But, reminiscing was always bittersweet for me.

We were orphans since I could remember. He had told me we lost our parents when I was only 4. Obviously, nobody wanted an orphaned 10-year-old boy and his little sister. In the end, we were left to fend for ourselves on the streets of our small town. He told me this town was called Tomoeda. It was a small farming town located deep in the mountains, about 16 miles from Kyoto. According to Onii-chan, it had the freshest water of all Japan.

My earliest memory was a sad memory – the day I had been kidnapped from this minute, secluded town. The memory was short, but nonetheless as powerful as the first day I experienced it.

_Onii-chan and I were sleeping in our usual spot, in a small make shift home inside an abandoned shelter about half a mile from the main farmland. We fended for ourselves after our parents had died, Onii-chan often stealing from the farmers in the middle of the night to provide for our food._

_I remember awakening to voices and loud banging on the make-shift door Onii-chan had created in front of our cave. Suddenly, the intruders burst through. Onii-chan stood up and shielded me, trying to protect me. But he was no match for the 3 fully grown men standing at the entrance of our home. My Onii-chan pushed me into a corner and tried to confront the men at the entrance. All I could hear were the loud, angry voices and my Onii-chan's warning to keep away. In fear and worry, I sat helplessly weeping in the corner as I watched Onii-chan act as their punching bag. My voice couldn't escape me for some reason, so I cried silently. I was able to hear every single gasp of agony he had experienced during those 15 minutes. Until this day, I still wished they had beat me instead._

_Onii-chan was left bleeding and bruised on the dirt floor and the men turned to leave. I rushed forward, tears streaming down my face._

"_Onii-chan! Onii-chan" I cried, "Please don't leave me. Please don't! I will never leave you. Never!"_

_I could see through my tears that he had opened one of his swollen eyes. _

"_Crying makes you look ugly, kaijuu," he said hoarsely._

_I smiled and began wiping my tears away. Then I heard some movement behind me._

"_Oi! Who are you?" I heard the man say. The men hadn't completely left, yet. Touya attempted to stand up to fight, but his injuries prevented him from even sitting up. I turned around, only to be faced by an unattractive, dirty man with too much facial hair and missing teeth. I could smell his stench._

_He grabbed at my hair and said, "I'm going to make some money outta you, sweet," and tried to drag me out of the cave._

"_No!" I screamed, "Onii-chan! Onii-chan! I want to stay with my Onii-chan!" I reached for his hand, trying to grasp his outstretched hand. That was the only strength he could muster at that time. With the force the man pulled me with, he could've pulled all that hair out of my head and left me bald. But I didn't care, I wanted to stay with Onii-chan. So I struggled, kicking and punching the man until I had landed a critical hit between his legs. He let go of me instantly and I ran toward my Onii-chan, desperately trying to cling to him without further worsening his injuries._

_The man recovered quickly and ran after me, picking me up by my torso. I yanked at my Onii-chan's shirt, and it ripped as the man lifted me up and threw me over his shoulder. I tried kicking and punching and screaming again – this time, to no avail. _

_The last thing I heard through my own deafening screams was Touya's weakening voice screaming my name._

"_Sakura!"_

I opened my eyes, shocked that his voice was so clear in my mind. It was if though he was right beside me, yelling into my ear. And at first, I hadn't realized the voice was addressing me.

My birth name was buried with me when I became a maiko. The name, 'Kinomoto Sakura', didn't belong to this new me, to this geisha who I had become. Sometimes I even forgot I was ever called that. The name I was granted belonged to the deceased daughter of the Okaa-san of this Okiya. Her daughter had been found dead in a frozen river shortly after being kidnapped. Okaa-san had bought me from the men who kidnapped me, but I always assumed she took me in because I reminded her of her daughter. My assumptions were proven right when she gave me my new name.

"Nadeshiko-san," I heard a maid calling my name, "Please come inside now. You must get ready."

I turned around to see her already descending down the steps. I followed after her, returning the stairs to their original position.

Upon entering my room, I found Aiko-oneesan halfway through her makeup application.

"Ohayou, onee-san," I greeted, bowing in her direction.

She smiled widely and replied, "Ohayou, Nadeshiko-chan. You've been up early nowadays, haven't you?"

I only nodded and smiled in return. Sitting beside her, I opened up my own makeup kit and began removing all my tools needed for applying my makeup.

The full application took about an hour. And, just as I finished, I heard a male's voice from the main floor drifting up the steps and through the thin screen doors of my bedroom. I had become so in tune with the man's voice that even in a sea of chattering men, all I would be able to hear was him.

There was only one man who was ever allowed in the Okiya on a regular basis – our dresser, Li Syaoran.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: Yes, I did change the title of this fic. The first title was just used as a filler before I could think of a suitable title. Also, I noticed I forgot to clarify a few things in the first chapter. No, I am not an expert when it comes to the geisha world. Accuracy depicting the geisha world is not fully guaranteed, but many of the things I mention have been observed in the book Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki. I have never lived the life of a geisha, so please bear with my lack of understanding of their lives.

Basic Vocabulary

Okiya – Geisha House

Danna – Usually a business man capable of supporting a geisha's financial needs and able to fully repay the Okiya for the cost of schooling and training

Maiko – Apprentice Geisha

Shamisen – a stringed instrument

Rickshaw – a form of transportation, kind of like a human-pulled wagon. Google it, LOL.

**Chapter 2**

It was a strange thing knowing that I had feelings for the one man I was forbidden from. You see, the relationship between the Okiya and its dresser was under a very tight contract. The dresser was given access to the Okiya and the privilege of having life-long stable income, but in return was explicitly prohibited from being more than a business contract between anyone who lived in the house. It was the highest disgrace for both the dresser's family and the Okiya if any type of scandal was ever found out.

Okaa-san would always tell me, "This Okiya has had a good reputation ever since I inherited it. You'll be sorry if you become the one to disgrace my family."

Shortly after her threatening warning, Okaa-san introduced me to my first dresser. His name was Tsukishiro Yukito. He was kind, yet a bit too old for my liking – about 24. Being only 13 during the start of my training in formal clothes, I always felt a little shy to be dressed.

A woman's body was considered a delicate thing, something only few of her closest relatives, friends and sometimes only lovers ever got to see. I was so used to Onee-san seeing me naked when we bathed together, but never had I dreamed I would have to let a man clothe me. Just the mere thought of it sent me into a nervous panic. For the first couple years of being clothed with the help of a dresser, I absolutely dreaded having to wear kimonos for the sole fact that I couldn't put it on without the help of a man. Eventually, by about age 15, I had gotten used to the routine of being dressed.

That was until my official debut – when I was introduced to Li Syaoran.

_I sat in the dressing room, waiting for the arrival of Tsukishiro-san. In front of me lay the ensemble I had be instructed to wear. In our Okiya, every maiko ready to have her debut was required to wear the same kimono as debuting maikos in the past. _

_The kimono itself was silky midnight blue. In electric blue and silver thread, waves were woven across the arms and the length of the train. In the middle, the crest of our Okiya was woven in black, surrounded by the darkest blue thread which carved the image of a sea dragon along my back, from my shoulders to the edge of the hem. I stared in awe at the beautiful kimono, which was hanging neatly, ready to be worn. _

_A greeting by the maid brought my attention to the door and I turned to greet Tsukishiro-san. Instead, a younger man with chestnut hair and amber eyes walked through the door._

_I bowed toward him in response, a deep red blush creeping along my cheeks. Where was Tsukishiro-san? This new man was definitely handsome, I thought. Although I thought I was used to being half-clothed in front of a man during my morning routine, I couldn't help but notice how naked and open I felt in this man's presence. For a split second, I wondered how old he was. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than me, yet he held an overwhelming maturity that I could not relate to. Our eyes met, and he greeted me._

"_Good afternoon, maiko-san. My name is Li Syaoran. Pleased to meet you," he said kindly, a genuine smile appearing on his face._

_His face was kind, but I couldn't help but wonder what he really thought when thinking about a woman's body – my body. It took me a few seconds to regain my thoughts and reply._

"_Good evening, Li-san," I said, not taking my eyes of him as I straightened from my bow. I couldn't help but stare. _

_He nodded and proceeded toward the kimono, reaching for the garments he would be using first. Not another attempt at conversation was made. Instead, he spoke short, concise instructions on which way to position my arms and body while he dressed me. Several times, I could feel my face flush red whenever the fabric draped over my sensitive areas, but when I looked into his eyes, his face remained calm and unfazed. He hadn't looked at me since our initial greeting._

_The garment was heavier than I had imagined it would be, having only been dressed in a training maiko's kimono. When he was finished, I stumbled a bit to find my balance in the extremely heavy kimono, about to fall backward. I don't know if he was watching me or not, but at the precise moment I began to fall, he caught me. I turned to look at him and apologized for my clumsiness, but I couldn't help but notice how he looked away at the precise moment we locked eyes. When I regained my balance, I faced him in a bow._

"_Sumimasen, Li-san," I apologized._

_He bowed in response, and greeted me congratulations and good luck before leaving. Again, without ever looking into my eyes. Quietly, he left the room, the maid closing the door behind him._

That was the first day we met.

But 3 years had passed since then, and admittedly, the highlight of my day was seeing Li-san every night before my evening teahouse routines.

"Nadeshiko-chan, please wait for me downstairs, we'll have to leave as soon as I'm ready or we'll be late for dance rehearsal," Aiko-oneesan chided, reminding me how behind we were running.

"Hai, onee-san," I acknowledged, leaving quickly to head downstairs to the foyer.

Onee-san quickly went to the dressing room where one of the senior maids helped to dress her in an outfit for a day at dance practice. We never bothered asking the Okiya's dresser to help with such insignificant jobs such as everyday clothes. The dresser was there for special occasions and to help with formal evening teahouse attire. So why was Li-san here this morning?

I crept downstairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. At the main floor, I turned left into the hallway, which was just outside the main sitting area of the house – where visitors were usually taken and casual conversation was made. I walked past the open door and noticed it was empty. This meant Syaoran could only be in two other rooms – the dressing room, which I knew was currently being occupied by Aiko-oneesan, or Okaa-san's office. The voices down the hall confirmed my theory.

"Please, come into my office, Li-san," I heard Okaa-san say from a few feet down the hall.

"Hai, arigato," he responded.

I turned right, onto the hallway which was just outside Okaa-san's office. Syaoran was just following Okaa-san into her office. He looked up directly at me. Apparently, I wasn't as quiet as I thought I was being, and I bowed to him in a greeting.

/

It was those green eyes that peered up at me, the moment I turned my head toward the sound. I hadn't seen her many times in her day clothing, but she could've been wearing a potato sack and all I would have noticed was the color of her vibrant eyes. Since the first time I met her, she had captured my attention with just one look.

She bowed at me, a smile forming along her face. Out of politeness, I returned the favor. She was out of my sight within two seconds when I entered the office. A maid silently shut the door behind me. Stacks of papers were lying here and there on a small dingy desk, and the room smelled heavily of ink.

"Have a seat, Li-san," Okaa-san offered graciously, "Would you like some tea?"

"Hai, Arigato," I repeated. It was always rude to refuse refreshments in the host's presence.

She poured us both a cup of hot tea and continued with our conversation.

"It's been three years since you've been with this Okiya, Li-san. Please tell me – how have you liked it so far?" she asked, putting down the teapot on the desk to look at me.

"I'm very fond of this Okiya. My previous Okiya had many more maiko and geisha, but I prefer quality over quantity. The maiko and geisha here are much more sophisticated," I explained.

"Arigato, Li-san. I have done my best to breed the geisha and maiko here to be well refined. Let me tell you, there have many times I thought I couldn't do it," she said.

"Don't you ever doubt yourself, Okaa-san. This Okiya has one, if not the most, respectable reputation of all Kyoto," I reassured her, "It was the deepest honor to be invited to work here."

She sipped her tea, as if thinking of what to say next.

"You were an interesting choice, I must say. You were young, only about 18 I believe, and I quickly ignored your application, but some persuasion from your parents had me giving you a double take," she explained. "Having a hair dresser as a father, and a teahouse owner as a mother, you were bound to be great in following family tradition to support the Okiyas of Kyoto."

"Arigato," I said for the third time, bowing in gratitude.

"Which is why I would like to give you a warning – Please, do not be the one to ruin the respect my Okiya has gained," she said sternly¸ looking directly into my eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak, but shut it quickly afterward. She wasn't done speaking yet.

"We are expecting a potential danna for Nadeshiko-san in the near future," she said, still observing him, "She will have to look her best for the upcoming teahouse visits and the Spring Dance Recital. You are one of the most skilled dressers this Okiya has ever had. I hope she is in good, trustworthy hands."

I couldn't help notice how she stressed the word 'trustworthy'. I had never expressed any feelings for any geisha or maiko in this Okiya – or in any Okiya for that matter.

"I will do my best to make her look perfect," I replied.

She smiled in return.

"Thank you for your reassurance, Li-san," she replied, "I must ask you then, would you willing to accept additional duties as the dance school's dresser for the Spring Dance Recital? The previous dresser has lost a family member, and they are in dire need of a temporary dresser with the Spring Dance Recital fast approaching."

I frowned a bit. That was a shock, I thought. The dance schools usually had their own dressers, who would work overtime and also take the role of dresser for the Spring Dance Recitals. She decided to continue speaking since I hadn't answered.

"Of course, you will be given additional income, Li-san. Please do not worry about that," she explained, "Your duties, in addition to the nightly visits you have at this Okiya, will be to accompany the geisha to their dress rehearsals. They will need your help to dress in their attire for the Spring Dance Recital during rehearsals. These dress rehearsals will be twice a week for the last 2 months before the performance. The first one is today."

I didn't have any particular reason to decline the offer, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this. She waited for my reply.

"I will gladly accept the offer, Okaa-san. Thank you for this opportunity," I said.

"The dance rehearsal has already begun, but I will inform the school you are on your way. You should get going now," she said, standing up.

I followed her out the door where a rickshaw was waiting for me.

"Send my regards to Fukumara-sensei," she called, as I was wheeled out of sight.

The bumpy ride took only about 10 minutes and before I knew it, I was getting off the rickshaw in front of the school. It was a large building, with 2 separate buildings – one for basic training and skills for the younger maiko, and the other for refinery and mastery of skill for the elder maiko. I walked up the twenty-something steps toward the entrance of the largest building and heard music. A maid was waiting to greet me at the top of the stairs.

"I'm sorry I'm late. My name is Li Syaoran. I was told that you would be informed I would be late," I explained.

"Good afternoon, Li-san. We have been waiting for you," she said, sliding the screen door opening.

The door entered directly into a hallway, and I could see another maid about 10 feet down at another doorway. That must have been the door which would lead to the practice hall. As I approached the maid, she bowed and opened the door to let me in. Nobody had noticed my entrance. Instead, everyone had their backs turned toward me.

She was dancing in the middle of the room, all eyes trained on her.

Having grown up watching geisha perform at the family teahouse, I could fully appreciate this art called dance. Her eyes were closed, fully concentrated on the movement of her body, the patterns she was drawing with her feet. She was dancing for her audience, which now included me, and I watched as she swayed in time with the music.

She extended her right hand to the tune of the shamisen, an open fan firmly held in place perfectly horizontal at her arms length. On the right beat, she threw the fan upwards and watched it fall, timing its catch to be perfect. I watched as she eyed the fan like a hawk, allowing her to pinpoint the base of the fan and enable her to catch it with as much grace as possible. As her eyes followed the fan vertically downward, she noticed me. For the smallest fraction of a second, she looked directly into my eyes. Then, as gracefully as possible, she caught the fan.

And dropped it.

The shamisen player, a fellow geisha, stopped playing immediately. Hushed whispers could be heard by her classmates. She stood there, staring at Fukumara-sensei, an odd a mix of confusion and embarrassment plainly displayed on her face.

"Aiko-san," Fukumara-sensei addressed.

"Hai, sensei," Aiko-san replied.

"Please continue to guide Nadeshiko-san whenever she practices. She will need to work extra hard if she wants to perform this piece for the recital," she instructed.

"Hai, sensei," Aiko-san repeated.

Fukumara-sensei then turned to approach me. I bowed in greeting.

"My name is Li Syaoran. Thank you for the opportunity to be the dresser for the school's Spring Dance Recital," I said.

"Thank you for coming, Li-san. The dressing room and my office are the only other places you will be allowed to enter. I will instruct a maid to direct you there," she said, walking away, "There is also no washroom for men here, so please do not expect we can accommodate you in that way."

"I understand," I said politely.

She walked in front of the class and addressed them.

"It is only the beginning of rehearsal, but we have many things to improve on," she said sternly, "Our dresser, Li-san, is now here so when you are called, please wait in the dressing room to be dressed in the kimonos that will be used for your performances. If you are not being dressed, please continue to practice your pieces until you are called."

She looked around the room, making contact with each of her students.

"Nadeshiko-san, you are first," she said, looking directly at her, "Please wait in the dressing room for Li-san. Hopefully, practicing with the kimono you will be using during your performance will help you adjust to the timing and accuracy of each movement in your piece."

"Hai, sensei," she replied, a little red in the cheeks as she stood and left the room.

"You may all continue," Fukumara-sensei said.

The class stood and sectioned off into different areas of the room and from a distance, I heard Fukumara-sensei address the maid who was to show me around.

"Li-san," I heard behind me, "Please follow me. I will show you to the office and the dressing room."

I turned, following her out the door and left into the hallway. The majority of the building consisted of the practice hall, which I had just been in, and after walking a bit further down, I realized the building only had one hallway.

"This is Fukumara-sensei's office," the maid said, pointing to a screen door on her right, "Entrance into this room is by invitation only."

I nodded in response. We continued to walk further down and I noticed another screen door on my right.

"This is the only washroom in this building – strictly for ladies. Please refrain from entering this room at all times," she continued, "…Or walking past this door too slowly, it will only make people suspicious."

I smiled and nodded to acknowledge my understanding. We finally came to the end of the hallway, the last door to my left.

"This is the dressing room," she said, kneeling down to open the screen door, "You are welcome in the room only when you are expected to be working. Please to do not enter here otherwise."

I nodded for the last time, and she slid the door open.

It was a large room, about twice the size of the one at the Okiya. On the end furthest from me, a mirror stood facing in my direction. She sat in the middle of the room between myself and the mirror, her back facing toward me. She looked up as the door slid shut behind me.

Through the mirror, her eyes met mine.


End file.
